Former Giro winner Dumoulin reflects on burnout and retirement: 'I started to hate cycling'

Tom Dumoulin has revealed how the pressures of professional cycling meant he "started to hate cycling” during the most difficult period of his career.

In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Dumoulin admitted that success didn’t always bring him happiness, and he reached a stage where he started to feel trapped by the expectations placed on his shoulders.

"I felt like I was constantly bending to the demands of others. Sponsors, fans, the team, and coaches. Everyone had a precise idea of ​​what I had to do," Dumoulin told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“But no one asked me, 'Tom, how are you?' It was exhausting. I started to feel depressed. I even started to hate cycling. I hated the bike,” added Dumoulin.

Dumoulin described the emotional toll that this eventually took on him. “It was exhausting,” explained Dumoulin. "I started to feel depressed. I even started to hate cycling. I hated the bike.”

In January 2021, Dumoulin, then at Jumbo-Visma, announced that he would take an indefinite break from the sport, before returning to action later that year at the Tour de Suisse in June. 

He would go on to win the Dutch time trial championships for the fourth time later that month, before taking silver in the discipline at the Tokyo Olympics. The Dutchman decided to hang up his wheels at the end of the 2022 season. 

Dumoulin retired with twenty-two professional victories, including the Giro in 2017, nine Grand Tour stage wins and the time-trial World Championships. The Dutchman also picked up two silver medals in the Olympic time trials, and finished runner-up up at the Giro and Tour de France in 2018

He explained that he found himself facing the challenge of trying to adapt to find a new structure after cycling had given him a daily routine for so many years. 

"I remember the day after I retired, I kept asking myself: What should I do today? What should I eat? What training should I do?"

"I couldn't break out of that vicious cycle. For years, my life had been just cycling,” explained Dumoulin. 

Despite the unfamiliarity, Dumoulin was asked what it felt like to quit, and he responded by saying, “I felt liberated.”

Fellow Giro winner Simon Yates also announced his retirement while racing for Visma | Lease a Bike, ahead of the 2026 season. Having won the Giro and a Tour de France stage in 2025, Yates had proven that he was still capable of fighting for victories in the biggest races. 

Given his own experiences, Dumoulin understood Yates’ decision. "I understood it perfectly, because I found myself in the same situation,” said Dumoulin.

Since retirement, Dumoulin has re-established his passion for riding his bike along with other sports, and remains involved in the sport, and will take on a new role at his home race from next season. 

"I've also started cycling again for training and for fun. And I've also discovered running: I've participated in several marathons. Plus, starting next year, I'll be the director of the Amstel Gold Race,” said Dumoulin.

“In short, I'm doing everything I would never have done as a cyclist. It's time to have fun and finally decide for myself what to do."